Line engaging attachment for



Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT AOFF-ICE LINE NGAGING ATTACIlMEN-'l1 FOR FISHING FLOATS Roy V. Stafford, Black Mountain, N. C. Application March 3, 1950,seria1N0. "147,518y

`1 This-invention relates to a `novel lconstruction 'of -line engaging 4attachment which is adapted to be anchored to a-shing float for connecting a nshing `line thereto either `for sliding movement relatively "to the `float or `'for clamping the line non-slidably to the float. i

More particularly, it is an Vaim-of the present invention to provide a line engaging attachment of extremely simple construction capable of being readily engaged with or disengaged from a iishing line and 'which may be utilized for supporting a iishhook at a Vpredetermined vdistance from the floator for slidably connecting a oat to a iishing linewhe'n employed for casting.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more-fully apparent from 'thefollowing description of the drawing, illustrating preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure f1 is a'planview illustrating one form of the invention applied to a fishing float and showing la-'nshingline anchored by the line engaging member'tothe oat;

'Figurefz 'is a sectional view thereof taken substantially along 1a 'plane fas indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is 'a side elevational view illustrating another linan'ner of utilizing the invention;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly 'in vertical section `illustrating a slightly modied form of the line engaging member for use with a 'different type of shing float, and

Figure `5 is Vfa side elevational view, partly in section of a plastic shing oat and illustrating still another embodiment of the line engaging member for use therewith.

Referring more `rspecifically'tothe drawing and rst with reier'enceto the vvembodiment vof the invention as illustrated in Figures `-1,-2 land 3, the iish line holding attachment comprising the invention and as illustrated in these views is designated generally 6 and is formed from a single strand `of `resilient wire which is preferably of stainless steel or vrust vresistant and which wire strand in cross section may be round, oblong, semi-round or `fiat. -Anintermediate portion of the'strand forming the attachment 6 is bent to provide a loop or eye 1 which may be composed of two convolutions, as illustrated, or of a single convolution. One end of the strand extends from the bottom of the loop or eye 'I and terminates in an upwardly turned back terminal portion forming a small eye 8. The strand portion between the line receiving eye 'I and the smaller terminal eye 8 is bowed upwardly to provide the arcuate 6 Claims. (Cl. 43-44;92)

2 clamping portion 9. The other, longer end of the lstrand `forming the 'line engaging attachment 6 extends from the opposite end of the vline guiding eye l at substantially a right angle to the iirst mentioned en'd and includes a sinuous portion 'III which terminates in a substantially straight tapered piercing point I'I.

Said -sinuous end I0 is adapted to be iimbedded and anchored in a iioat, Aas 'for example a spherical shin'g float I2 formed of cork,

as illustrated, or which may Vbe formed of wood. The piercing end II is forced into the float I2 to a suflicient depth tofimbed the sinuous portion I in the float bodyupto thelin'e 'guiding eye 1, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and the undulating shape of the end portion VI0 will obviously anc-hor the line engaging attachment 6 in the loatbody I2 so that the line guiding eye "I and the terminal eye 8 will be in contact with portions of the periphery of the float I2 while -the arcuate portion S will be spaced slightly'from-the periphery of 'the'float If it is desired to anchor a iishingline I3 to the float I2 at a desired distance from a iishhook I d which is connected to one end of the line I3, so that the hook I4 may be supported ata predetermined level below the surface of a body of'water, the line I3, at a desired distance from the hook It, is forcibly drawn between the terminal eye 8 and the adjacent surface portion of the iioat I2 Vfor positioning said line portion beneath the arcuate portion 9 to be clamped thereby to the float I2. In accomplishing this operation, if desired the eye 8 maybe grasped as a handle and drawn away from the surface of the float I2 and it will be readily apparent that the convolutions of the line engaging eye I will act as a spring to permit accomplishment of this operation Vand will also function as a spring for urging the attachment portionslland 9 toward the float I2 so that theline i3 will 'be clamped between the surface of the float I2 and the arcuate clamping portion 9.

Likewise, if desired, the line engaging-attachment 6 may be utilized as llustratedin Figure 3 forslidably connecting a Yfishing line 'I3a to 'the float I2 whereby the float is to be used with the line foreasting. For this connection, the line I3a is passed through the guide eye 'I and a separate piece of line is knotted as seen at I5 around the line I3a above the edge to frictionally engage the line but so that the knot I5 can be moved to any desired point above the shhook Ida. A bead I6 is slidably mounted on the line I3a, between the knot I5, which forms a stop, and the guide eye l. A sinker I1 is clamped to the line I3a below the eye l and adjacent the hook Ida'. The bead I6 and sinker I'I are each larger than the opening of the eye 'I so that the line I3a can slide downwardly through the eye 'I or from left to right of Figure 3 until the bead I6 engages the eye 'I and is engaged by the knot I5, or the line I3a may slideupwardly through the guide eye I until the sinker I'I engages the eye I. Likewise. by merely `passing a portion of the line I3a under the terminaleye 8, the line I3a may be anchored to the oat at any desired distance from the hook Ida.

Figure 4 illustrates a slightly modified form of the line engaging attachment designated 6a for use with a iioat I 2a which may be formed of any suitable buoyant material and which is of the type having a bore I9 extending therethrough and which normally receives a stem or spindle, not shown, and which is removed when the line engaging attachment 6a is utilized. The line engaging attachment 6a includes a line engaging eye la, corresponding to the line engaging eye 1, a terminal eye 8d, corresponding to the terminal eye 8 and an arcuate clamping portion 9a corresponding to the clamping portion 9, which parts are disposed in the same relative positions as the parts I, 8 and 9 with respect toy a surface portion of the float I2a'.` In lieu 'of the sinuous strand portion IU, the strand forming the attachment 6a is provided with a substantially straight shank portion Illa, which preferably terminates in a tapered end or terminal I la. The shank portion Illa is' inserted into the bore I9 together with a plug 20 by which the shank Illa is clamped against a portion of the wall of the bore I9 for supp-orting the attachment 6a in the position as illustrated in Figure 4, As thus disposed, the attachment 6a may be utilized with a iishing line, not shown in Figure 4, either in the manner as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 or in the manner as illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 5 illustrates a third form of line engaging attachment, designated generally 6b, likewise formed from a single strand of wire corresponding to the strand from which the line engaging attachments G and 6a are formed and which includes the portions 1b,` 8b and 9b, corresponding to the portions l, 8 andS, respectively, and which are disposed in the same relationship as said portions to the surface of a iioat I2b. The oat I2b is formed from plastic or other pre-cast, buoyant material. The other end of the attachment 6b instead of being sinuous as seen at I or straight as seen at Illa is provided with a relatively short straight portion 2| which extends into the float body I2b and a longer terminal portion 22 which is lapped and thus anchored in the float body. The portions 2| and 22 are molded or cast into the float I2b when it is formed for permanently anchoring'the attachment 5b thereto. Obviously, said attachment 6b may be utilized in the same manner as the attachment 6 as illustrated in either Figure 1 or Figure 3. y

The vline engaging attachments 6, 6a and 6b may be employed with floats of different shapes and may be made in different sizes. Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter dened by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A line engaging attachment comprising, in combination with a fishing float, a strand of resilient wire provided with a line guiding eye intermediate of its ends, one endof said strand extending laterally from the line guiding eye and terminating in a smaller, terminal eye, the portion of the strand between the line guiding eye tioned strand end and being adapted to be irnbedded in and anchored to the float body for positioning the line guiding eye and terminal eye with portions of the convolutions thereof in contact with the surface of the iioat and in substantially upstanding positions with respect thereto, said clamping portion being spaced slightly from the surfacerof the float for detachably clamping a portion of a iishing line between said clamping portion and the float. f

2. Aline engaging attachment as in claim l, said line guidingeye providing aspring coil for spring biasing said arcuate clamping portion toward the float. k i

3. Aline engaging attachment as iniclaim. l, said line guiding eye having a plurality of convolutions forming a springbiasing said arcuate clamping portion toward the float.

4. A line engaging attachmentv as in claim 1, said last mentioned strand endv including a substantially straight tapered terminal portion for piercing the lioat body and asinuous shank' por-y tion disposed between the terminal, portionA and netguiding eye to anchor the attachment to' the 5. A line engaging attachment as in claim 1, said last mentioned strand endgcomprising an elongated substantially straight shank portion adapted to be wedged by a clamping plug in a bore of the iloat. l

6. A line engaging attachment as in claim 1, said last mentioned strand end comprising a rel.- atively long lapped portion adapted to. be imbedded in the body ofy thefloat and yhaving a substantially straight end portion, disposed at an angle to the lapped portion which projectsoutwardly of the body and merges with one endof said line guiding eye.

ROY STAFFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Goertzen Dec. 17, 1940 

